


What a Feeling

by supersapphicsarchive



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/F, M/M, double dates, mlm/wlw solidarity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 13:23:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18550639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersapphicsarchive/pseuds/supersapphicsarchive
Summary: Helen & Aline join Malec on date night, and earnest discussions about feelings occur.





	What a Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated once again to Mara, who asked for a fic with Malec and Heline on a double date where they all gush to each other about how much they love their S.O. 
> 
> Title from "What a Feeling" by One Direction because I allllways get this song stuck in my head while at work.

“Alexander, if it’s something really important, you can answer your phone. I don’t want you to miss out on an emergency just because of me. I don’t mind.”

Alec shakes his head. “Izzy and Clary were instructed not to message me unless it’s an absolute emergency, and the 911 alert is easily distinguishable from other alerts. These texts are just from idiots who are too stupid to follow instructions. In fact –” Alec picks up his phone from the table, where it’s been steadily buzzing for the past ten minutes, and tucks it inside the bread basket, where the breadsticks successfully muffle the buzzing noises.

Magnus has to chuckle at that. “The Head of the New York Institute ignoring his phone in favor of my company? I must say, I’m incredibly flattered.”

“Your company is preferable to pretty much anything,” Alec says with a shrug, picking up his menu and beginning to peruse it as if he hadn’t said anything special. Magnus has to take a moment to stare at his fiancé adoringly before he reaches for his own menu.

“Oh look, babe, they have gnocchi,” Alec says a moment later. “Didn’t you say the other day that you were craving that?”

“It was over a week ago,” Magnus corrects him. “You remembered that?”

Alec does look up from his menu at that. “Of course I did. You told me and I was paying attention. Why wouldn’t I remember?”

Magnus shakes his head. “Honestly, Alexander, you have to be the sweetest person I’ve ever known.”

“I’m not,” Alec protests, but Magnus has to insist.

“Yes you are, darling. I get to compliment my fiancé whenever I want, and if I want to do it often, then you just have to deal with it.”

As expected, Alec blushes visibly, but he still meets Magnus’ eyes when he counters, “Same goes for you, babe. In fact…” He sets his menu back down and stands from his chair. Magnus watches him curiously as Alec sits down in the chair right to Magnus’ and slings his arm around Magnus’ shoulders.

“Hello,” says Magnus delightedly.

“Hi, babe.” Alec leans closer to press a soft, sweet kiss to Magnus’ mouth. “Hey, you know what else we should order? That red wine, you know, the one we drank at that restaurant in Greece –”

“In Santorini, yes,” Magnus finishes for him. “You’re right, that pairs excellently with gnocchi. What about you, darling, what are you going to order?”

“I think spaghetti,” Alec answers. “I feel like pasta too.”

The waitress arrives then to take their orders. As soon as she’s gone, Alec says suddenly, “Hey babe, look at me?”

“Hmm?” Magnus asks, turning to face him.

Alec wraps a hand around the back of Magnus’ neck and tilts his face up for a kiss. “Just wanted to kiss you,” Alec explains when the kiss ends.

“Oh, well, I am completely ok with that. In fact…” Magnus pulls Alec in for a second kiss.

They lose track of time and are still kissing several minutes later when the waitress returns to their table. She coughs pointedly to catch their attention. Alec and Magnus break apart reluctantly and are surprised to not only see their drinks already sitting on the table (when had the waitress brought them by?), but the waitress herself standing next to the table, with Heline and Aline hovering behind her.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, but do you mind if these two ladies join your table? All our other tables are full and the waiting time is about an hour.”

“Of course it’s fine,” Magnus says. “Please, feel free to join us.”

“Great,” the waitress says. “I’ll bring out another two menus,” she tells Helen and Aline before departing.

“Aline, it’s nice to see you again,” Alec says warmly. He nods politely to Helen. “You too, Helen.”

“Thank you, sir,” Helen says. Alec shakes his head.

“None of that, please. We’re off duty. I’m just Alec.”

Aline grins. “You’ve always been just Alec to me.”

“Do you two know each other?” Helen asks.

“We went to school together in Alicante,” Alec explains. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

“ _Really,_ ” Magnus says, leaning forward excitedly. “So you can tell me stories all about Alexander as a little one?”

“Oh, plenty,” Aline laughs. The waitress returns with menus for Helen and Aline and to inform Magnus and Alec that their food will be ready shortly.

“Actually, we’ll just have what they’re having,” Helen says. She glances at Aline. “Is that ok?”

“Sure.”

The waitress leaves and Magnus returns his gaze to Aline. “So, spill. Tell me all about you and Alec as children.”

Aline laughs again. “Well, Alec was quite the troublemaker. He once persuaded me to forge my mom’s signature so we – that is, the two of us plus Izzy – could sneak out of classes and train by ourselves outdoors.”

“Alec intentionally broke rules?” Magnus asks, stunned.

“I didn’t like the way our instructor trained us,” Alec says defensively. “He was too focused on the rules and perfect technique.”

“And you?” Helen asks Aline. “Were you a troublemaker by nature?”

“Well.” Aline shrugs. “It wasn’t my idea, but I did go along with it, didn’t I?”

The waitress brings their food then, and there’s silence for a moment as they all dig in and eat their first few mouthfuls. Helen is the first one to break the silence.

“Thanks for letting us sit with you. I feel like an idiot, not making a reservation. I just assumed, on a Wednesday night there wouldn’t be much going on…”

“In Manhattan, there’s always a lot going on,” Magnus tells her. “But no worries, my dear. We’re very happy for your company.”

“Even though we interrupted you?” asks Aline slyly.

Alec shrugs. “It wasn’t your fault. We just got a bit carried away.”

“We get carried away very often,” Magnus informs the two women. Alec swats lightly at Magnus’ shoulder, but the light in his eyes shows he’s not really annoyed.

“I have to use the restroom. I’ll be right back,” Alec says a few minutes later. Magnus returns his attention to his food, but that doesn’t prevent him from noticing the way both Helen and Aline have one hand each underneath the table, or the way they nudge shoulders every so often and then glance at each other, smiling. His heart feels full witnessing this. He’s so glad that more Shadowhunters are becoming comfortable with their identities, that they’re more open to relationships with Downworlders. Maybe things really are changing for the better.

“I need to visit the bathroom too,” Aline says a moment later. “Excuse me.”

Once she’s gone, Helen focuses her gaze on Magnus. “I wanted to say thank you,” she tells him.

“Whatever for, dear?”

“You gave a lot of us hope. Being queer…it’s not really talked about, in either the Downworlder or the Shadowhunter communities. But you were always so open and proud and unashamed of who you are. It gave a lot of us – me included – the courage to be open about who we are. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it. If it wasn’t for you…I’m not sure I would’ve had the courage to ask out Aline.”

To say that Magnus is surprised by this declaration would be quite an understatement. The idea that he’s served as a role model for younger Shadowhunters or Downworlders isn’t something he can even imagine.

“That’s really sweet,” Magnus says. “Although I don’t want to take too much credit. You were still the one who found your inner courage.”

“Well, I still want to say thank you,” Helen says with a smile, which Magnus returns.

“You and Aline seem like a very sweet couple, by the way. How long have you two been together?”

“Not long at all. Just a couple of weeks. But I’m already crazy about her. She’s so beautiful and sweet and funny, and…every time I’m with her, I just…” Helen exhales a happy sigh.

“That sounds very similar to how I feel about Alec,” Magnus says, smiling again. “I fell in love with him so quickly, so overwhelmingly…it was frightening, in a way, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

“Then I’m glad for both of us, that we’ve both found our happiness.” Helen raises her glass for a toast which Magnus copies.

 

 

“Oh,” Alec says in surprise when he walks out of the bathroom and almost bumps into Aline, who had just been exiting the bathroom across the hall.

“Sorry,” Aline says.

“No problem,” Alec says, but before he can turn around, Aline reaches out and grasps his wrist.

“I wanted to tell you something. Or, actually, I wanted to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Alec repeats. “For what?”

“If it weren’t for you…I don’t know if I would have had the courage to come out. You were such an inspiration, not just to me but to a lot of people. But for me in particular…it wasn’t until I heard about you and Magnus that I finally found the courage I needed to come out to my mom. And then I met Helen and…I really couldn’t be happier. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Aline, that’s really great,” Alec says, opening his arms. Aline steps right into them and Alec hugs her tightly.

“I’m so happy for you,” he murmurs into her hair.

“And I’m happy for you,” she whispers back. “After everything we both went through as kids….we both deserve this.”

“We really do. Aline, with Magnus, I’m…I can’t even begin to explain it. I just feel…like I’m finally able to be myself. Like I can breathe for the first time.”

“I feel the same way with Helen,” Aline says.

Alec presses a kiss to the top of Aline’s head before letting go of her. “Then let’s get back to them, huh?”

“Good idea.”

 

“I had an interesting talk with Aline tonight,” Alec says as they walk into the loft later that evening.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She told me she was grateful to me for coming out when I did. She said it gave her the courage to come out too. And start dating Helen.”

“Did she?” Magnus smiles. “Helen told me the exact same thing, actually.”

“I don’t really feel like I did anything,” Alec admits. “But I’m glad it helped Aline. And Helen. I’m glad they found each other. I’ll be glad if other queer Shadowhunters or Downworlders find each other.”

“You’re so sweet,” Magnus says. “Did you know that? You have such a big heart.” He places the palm of his hand flat against Alec’s heart.

“I feel like most of my heart was locked away before I met you,” Alec says softly, placing his hand over Magnus’. “You freed me.”

“You freed yourself,” Magnus corrects. “I just helped.”

“It wouldn’t have happened without you,” Alec insists. “I just want to say thank you. For showing me what it’s like to be happy.”

“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus picks up their joined hands and kisses them. “It’s me who should be thanking you. For proving to me that there’s always hope. I just had to keep waiting and then…there you were. The love of my life.”

“Dance with me?” Alec asks.

“Of course.” Magnus snaps his fingers and music begins playing softly. Alec pulls Magnus into his arms and they begin swaying gently to the beat.

“Hey Magnus? You’re the love of my life too.” 


End file.
